Vijayawada: The farmers hit by untimely rain are a worried lot vis-a-vis getting relief in the form of input subsidy or insurance claim for damage or loss to crops. Only the standing crops are entitled to such benefits. However, at present, harvested crops have been affected in several parts of the state.
With no rainfall in the last three days and day temperatures soaring, the state government issued orders to officials for enumeration of damage or loss to crops due to the rainfall. They must submit their reports by May 21.
Field level officers at village and mandal levels have started assessing the quantum of damage or loss to the crops. Chief minister Jagan Reddy had issued orders to give relief before the end of this month to all the affected farmers, based on their eligibility.
The officials say that soon after they prepare the comprehensive report by May 21, they would come up with estimates on input subsidy and insurance claims. They would settle these by issuing necessary advisories to the concerned agencies, so as to avoid any trouble to the farmers and help them raise the crops for the kharif season.
However, a section of the affected farmers raise concern that they might not get the benefits. As per norms, only those who suffered damage or loss to their standing crops to an extent of 33 per cent and above are eligible to get any kind of relief.
The farmers complain about high moisture content in the grains as also germination of seeds in some areas and seek the intervention of the state government.
However, the state agriculture authorities maintain that with the day temperatures rising rapidly, such issues have been resolved in the last few days. “The state government has come up with a series of initiatives by asking millers to procure soaked paddy and dry it up in their mills and ensure payment of minimum support price to the farmers. The government also supplied gunny bags to avoid any trouble in transportation from fields to RBKs and to the mills,” officials say.
A farmer from Kaikaram village of Eluru district said, “Though the state government issued directions to save the harvested crops by lifting them to safe places, there was no prompt response from the officials. This resulted in damage to the crops.” “We urge the government to come to our rescue by providing input subsidy in relation to the damage to standing crops and MSP to harvested crops,” farmers said.
Meanwhile, the state government has issued a memo on Tuesday asking district agriculture officers to enumerate crop damage of more than 33 per cent, set up village-level teams, complete enumeration by May 15 and display lists of affected farmers at RBKs from May 16 to 20.
The DAOs have also been issued certain guidelines on how to go about doing the assessment of crop damage or loss and submit proposals for input subsidy by May 21. Farmers suffered damage or loss to several crops including paddy, maize, jowar as also horticultural crops all over the state.
